Boko Haram

proper noun

An Islamist jihadist militant group based in Nigeria but active in adjoining Northwest African countries.

OriginHausa boko ← Arabic حَرَام →
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. An Islamist jihadist militant group based in Nigeria but active in adjoining Northwest African countries.

    Security officials say such a move makes it easy for Boko Haram to infiltrate Cameroon and gather vital security information.

    2015 March 3, Ngala Killian Chimtom, “Cameroon in for long fight as its youth join Boko Haram”, in CNN

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
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Origin

  1. Arabicحَرَام
  2. Hausaboko“fake, often said of Western education”
  3. EnglishBoko Haram

From Hausa boko (“fake, often said of Western education”) + haram (“forbidden”), from Arabic حَرَام (ḥarām). Literally, “Western education is forbidden”.

More words from Hausa, Arabic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 博科聖地 /博科圣地
  • 博科聖地 /博科圣地 (Bókē Shèngdì)Translations
Polish Boko Haram
  • Boko HaramTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

Boko Haram. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Boko%20Haram

MLA

“Boko Haram.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Boko%20Haram. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Boko Haram,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Boko%20Haram.

Source: Boko Haram on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.